What The Heart Wants: Ash's Harem
by IchigoHatake
Summary: Ash was never popular with the ladies until he started his sophomore year. Now, five girls are all interested in him and pawing for his attention. It's a fierce competition, and Ash can only choose one of them. Drama, romance, humor, and all the typical aspects of a harem are all combined into one story. And it's up to you who Ash will end up with in the end. More info inside.
1. Chapter 1

**Rated T for swearing, possible violence, and possible weird and perverted moments shown within the typical harem. If any of things things offend you, turn away now. The poll featured on my profile will determine which girl Ash will end up with in the end, so my own personal feelings will have nothing to do with it. That is all. Vote for your favorite pokegirl, so they can win Ash's heart! The poll will be open until the second to last chapter. Then, whoever had the most votes will become Ash's new girlfriend. If there's a tie, the poll will stay open until one girl has more votes than the other. That is all. Enjoy.**

Introduction

I'd lived in Kanto for a long time. I'd always been at this school. Pallet High School. But I wondered why I got so popular with girls all of the sudden when I started my sophomore year. I may be dense, but I was smart enough to know that those girls were all preying on me, and in the end, they were going to force me to choose one of them. This is my harem story. The story of the day girls started hitting on me, and in the end, I ended up with the best pick. Let's begin.

Chapter 1: Why are all these girls in love with me?!

I groaned out loud as I began walking to school. I'd never liked school. At all. We never seemed to do anything fun. Even in battle class, which I loved, our teacher, Mr. Lance, was always a bit too strict. He was hard on those who went "easy" on their Pokémon and he tended to yell at me a lot for always jumping in and protecting Pikachu when I thought he was going to get really hurt. Pikachu's my best friend! Why would I _not_ help him out?!

My favorite teacher taught my least favorite class. I always hated Pokémon History. Who cares about old dead people and old dead Pokémon? It's actually pretty depressing to think about. Ms. Erika teaches the class and she's always pretty nice to me. She knows that I hate the class, so she's always trying new methods to get me to enjoy it.

Still, I'm pretty bummed that summer vacation is over. And high school classes will only get harder and harder. And why the hell do they make us wake up so early anyway?! I'd rather have school in the afternoon, going out into the night rather than waking up early when I could still be having a series of wonderful dreams where I become Pokémon master. Not to mention that I can't wake up in the morning for my life, so I'm usually forced to miss breakfast, which puts me in an even worse mood.

I heard Pikachu's belly growl as he rubbed his tummy. The poor Pokémon laid back on my shoulder, looking ready to curl up and die. I rolled my eyes at him. "I'm hungry too, Pikachu, but the dramatics aren't going to help. If we can make it to school before the bell rings, I can pick up something for us from the cafeteria. Okay?"

Pikachu sighed and nodding his head in agreement. He continued to rub his belly though, as if it would magically make the hunger pains disappear. I loved at home with my mom, Delia, but she'd recently travelled on a vacation over to a different region. Kalos, I think. She's even given me an outfit from there. I wore a red cap with a white Pokémon symbol on it. My jacket was blue with white stripe patterns. I wore black and red gloves and some baggy jeans. I also wore black and red tennis shoes.

Anyway, since mom was away, I had to figure out how to make use of the money she gave me and not overspend. Otherwise, I'd have to get a job. And I need some relaxation after school, so a job seemed like the worst idea possible at the moment. So much extra work...

At long last, the school came into sight. I saw my group waiting for me at the gate. The group consisted of my childhood friend, Gary, Drew, Paul, Barry, and Brock. I was going to run up to them, but something unexpected happened. Something that would begin my harem experience.

"LEAF!" An angry female voice screeched.

I turned around and saw a fuming ginger sprinting right at me. She must have been so blinded by her rage that she hadn't seen me, because she smacked right into my, heads knocking into each other. I hissed in pain and fell down on my butt, Pikachu falling from my shoulder. The girl also fell down and she seemed even angrier now.

"WHO THE HELL RAN INTO-" She stopped dead as she stared into my eyes. Her anger quickly faded as her face turned apologetic. "Sorry. I did it again, didn't I?"

"Did what again, exactly?" I questioned as I picked up Pikachu and stood back up. I was going to help her up, but she quickly stood as well.

I took a closer look at her. Our school didn't require uniforms, so she wasn't wearing anything formal like that. The ginger's hair was pulled into a side pony tail. She wore a sleeveless yellow shirt that exposed her belly and jean shorts that were rolled up a bit. Those shorts were held up by red suspenders. Completing her outfit was an average pair of tennis shoes.

She sighed and dusted herself off. "When I'm angry, I don't really focus on my surroundings. I'm just locked on the target of my anger. So...sometimes I take my anger out on innocent people. Sorry about that."

"Uh, no problem," I replied. "We aren't hurt or anything, so...go beat up the person who made you angry?"

She scowled and clenched her fists. "Oh, Leaf's going to get it, alright!" She calmed down for a second as she faced me. "I'm Misty Waterflower, by the way. I don't think we've really met."

I nodded. "The name's Ash Ketchum. This is my buddy Pikachu."

"Pika!" he greeted with a wave.

Suddenly, a frantic Togepi ran up to Misty, looking out of breath. Misty's face went pale and she picked up the tiny Pokémon. "I'm so sorry, Togepi! I was so mad I forgot about you...please forgive me." Misty's face soured again. "Alright. No more distractions. She's going to pay for making a fool out of me..."

Misty stomped away at top speed, leaving me behind and confused. I turned to Pikachu. "Strange girl, huh?"

"Pikachu..."

"I have a feeling that won't be the last time we hear from her."

I took a deep breath and continued walking along, going to meet up with my friends. I was about to say hi to Gary when the bell rang. Everyone immediately began walking to class and Pikachu started whining. I realized why. Because of the encounter with Misty, we wouldn't be able to buy any breakfast from the cafeteria.

"This sucks," I muttered.

I marched off to first period, coordinating. Their were five hours in the day, six if you added in an elective class, which usually ended up being a really fun class. I didn't really like the idea of staying at school for longer than I needed to, but cooking class had sounded like fun and would be a good thing to learn while my mom was away, so I had decided to take it. Too bad I had to wait to go until the end of the day.

I sat down randomly in one of the seats and stared off into space for a while. Sometimes, I disliked my class. Some days, it's really fun to coordinate and try a new style, but sometimes it just feels kind of girly. To me, anyway. I know how much Drew and lots of other guys enjoy coordinating, but it's only a once in a while thing for me. I find it much more fun to watch a contest than compete in one.

I was snapped out of my daydream as someone walked over. It was a girl. She placed one hand on the seat and smiled at me. "Do you mind if I sit here? There's nowhere else, so..."

"Sure. I don't mind," I responded, smiling back.

This girl was a brunette. Her hair seemed to defy the laws of gravity, and as far as I could tell, she wasn't using hair gel or anything to position it that way. She wore a green bandana with a white symbol on it. She wore a long, orange shirt that reached her thighs. Its collar was black and there was a white line going down the middle along with two yellow pockets on each side of her. Black shorts extended less than halfway to her knees and she wore orange, white, and black shoes with black socks that extended a bit above her ankles.

She happily sat down, petting her Torchic who she had placed on her lap. She smiled at me again and introduced herself. "I'm May Maple. It's my goal to someday become a top coordinator. I just love this class."

"As Ketchum," I introduced myself for the second time today. "Contests aren't bad, but I prefer battles. Some day, I'm going to be a Pokémon master."

She nodded and dug around through her book bag. Pikachu and I drooled at the sight. She had pulled out a container full of pokeblock and some bags of chips. Our stomachs growled simultaneously. She heard us and laughed, splitting some of the food with us. We began munching happily.

"Thank you so much!" I said in between bites."

"Pika! Pika!"

She laughed again. "Looks like I'm not the only big eater on campus. Ugh. I don't know how I'd survive if we weren't allowed to eat before class. I'd die."

"I know, right?!" I agreed, swallowing the last of the potato chips. "Food and I are BFFs. I don't care if it isn't breakfast or lunch or dinner! I'll eat when I want to!"

"Agreed," May said with the nod of her head. "You're not bad, Ash. All my friends say that if I keep eating like this, I'm just going to get fat..."

I quickly examined her. "You don't look fat at all to me. You're fine the way you are. I think you're pretty."

I swear I saw her blush before she turned away. "Thank you, Ash. That really means a lot to me."

I smiled. "No problem."

~What The Heart Wants: Ash's Harem~

At the end of class, Ms. Fantina gave us five minutes to socialize. May quickly ran off, saying she wanted to introduce me to one of her friends. She gave me a cookie to snack on while she was gone. A minute later, May marched back over, dragging this friend of hers with her. Yet another girl.

This one had blue hair that extended past her shoulders. Her hair was looped in a strange way around her head, held up by yellow barettes. She also wore a white beanie with a pink Pokémon symbol on it. Around her neck, she had a pink scarf tied. She also wore a black top with some white fabric poking out, making it appear she wore a shirt or tank top underneath. She also wore a pink miniskirt and pink boots that matched. Her black socks covered her knees.

"This is Dawn," May said, placing her hands on Dawn's shoulders. "She's a fellow coordinator and my very best friend."

"Hi," Dawn said with a wave. "May told me your name was...Ash?"

"That's me," I responded. "And this Pokémon on my shoulder is my partner, Pikachu."

I now noticed that Dawn was hugging a Piplup. Dawn looked down at the little guy. "This is _my_ partner. Piplup. We don't always get along, but we're becoming good friends. Right?"

"Lup!" Piplup agreed.

"Pikachu and I weren't best buds at first either," I chuckled. "But now, we're inseparable."

Dawn smiled brightly. "You seem like a really nice trainer. I hope we end up crossing paths more often."

Dawns voice sounded slightly...flirtatious. I quickly glanced at the clock and noticed that class was almost over. Second period was battle class and I was all pumped up.

The bell then rang and I waved to the girls. "See you guys, later! Bye!"

I quickly hurried to battle class, being one of the first ones in. I quickly sat next to Gary. Across from us was Paul and Barry. Brock sat closer to the back. Drew wasn't in this particular class, but I'd seen him in coordinating earlier, so I knew I had at least one class with each of them. The only other familiar face I saw was Misty, but she sat way up front. Wondered if we'd ever battle together.

~What The Heart Wants: Ash's Harem~

Battle class seemed to fly by. It was just that fun. I'd ended up sparring against Paul, and even though I had lost, I think I've developed a strategy that'll help beat him next time. 3rd period was Pokémon History. Yuck. And absolutely no friends I saw who I could complain to. Great.

Let's just skip this boring part.

~What The Heart Wants: Ash's Harem~

After 3rd period, it was the best part of the day. LUNCH! I quickly stacked my plate with food and started to walk off. From the corner of my eye, I saw May doing the same thing I had done, stacking her plate sky high. I also bought Pikachu some good Pokémon food. Sure, this amount of food costed quite a bit, but I'm sure I could find a way to stretch the money.

I hurriedly sat with my group of friends, but I swear I felt eyes staring into the back of my head. May, Dawn, and Misty all sat at a table together, just staring at me. It felt really awkward, so I quickly devoured my food and wandered out to the school's front yard. At lunch, we were allowed to go outside if we wanted.

Not many people were out here yet, so it was pretty peaceful. The only person I even recognized was Gary's girlfriend, Leaf. He'd been dating her since we were freshmen and he seemed really into her. She was pretty and all, long brown hair, wore pretty clothes, usually pretty friendly, but in a way, she was kind of weird. She was known for telling people's fortunes at lunch, under the big oak tree outside the school. Now that I think about it, Misty was angry at Leaf. I wonder if she had Leaf read her fortune and maybe she didn't get the results she wanted.

I was curious as to how accurate her fortunes were, so I decided to approach her. She leaned casually against the tree, humming t her Bulbasaur, who was curled up on her lap. She smiled and waved as I approached.

"Here to hear your fortune?" she asked.

I sat down in the damp grass and nodded my head. "So...how does this work?"

"Give me your hands," she instructed, holding out both of her hands for me to grasp. I did so. Leaf then closed her eyes, and she started mouthing words to herself. I couldn't really make out what she was saying. Finally, her eyes shot open and she let go of my hands.

She smiled mischievously. "Oh~! This is going to be an interesting school year for you~!"

"What do you mean?" I questioned.

She giggled. "You are going to meet five beautiful and unique girls. Each of them will fall in love with you. In the end, one of them will become your girlfriend. Though, telling you which one would spoil the fun. You've already met three of them. The fourth will appear to you just after you leave me. The fifth you will meet in the halls some point later on. For today, they'll keep their distance a bit, but tomorrow, they'll begin competing for your attention."

"That all seems a bit too planned out," I responded suspiciously.

"That's the wonder of my fortune-telling. It's exact and _always_ accurate. That's why lots of people always come to seek my guidance. In fact, one time I read my own fortune. I was going to smash into a guy and immediately hate him. But over the month we got to know each other, I'd start to fall in love with him. After two months of knowing each other, he'd confess to me and I'd no doubt say yes. It was all true. And now I have Gary."

"A gift like that seems too good to be true," I sighed. Pikachu nodded.

Leaf winked at me. "You'll see. Once you've met all five girls and tomorrow arrives, you can see for yourself whether my fortune was real or not. And trust me, it won't disappoint. In fact, you'll definitely keep coming back to have your fortune told. But remember, I can only reveal to much. The future is in your hands. And depending on your choices, the girl I _think_ you're going to end up with might not end up being your girlfriend at all. It could very well change to be someone else. I'll never tell you who though. Have fun~!"

I walked away, feeling very confused. "The rumors are true. Leaf is pretty weird..."

"Chu...Pika..."

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" someone screamed.

Suddenly, I found myself crushing Pikachu as someone crashed me, landing on my back. Someone had...just fallen from the sky?!

"PIKAA!"

"GET OFF PLEASE!" I yelled.

"Sorry!" the voice said, quickly jumping off. I got off of Pikachu and quickly apologized to him, then I faced our attacker. Another...girl.

_"The fourth will appear to you just after you leave me."_

No way! Was Leaf's fortune really true?! Impossible!

"Sorry about that," the girl chuckled nervously. I kind of fell out of the tree I was climbing. But I'm glad you were there! Axew and I really would've been in trouble if you hadn't broken our fall!"

This girl had huge, poofy, purple hair fashioned in a weird style. An Axew poked its head out from the mess of hair. Her skin was a bit dark. She wore a kind of baggy, long sleeve, peach-colored shirt with pink cuffs and a collar. She also wore a pink skirt-like thing with a huge bow on its side. She wore white capris with yellow cuffs. She also wore pink and white shoes with yellow straps.

I sweat-dropped. "Uh...I guess it's good you didn't get hurt."

She also sweat-dropped and started awkwardly laughing again. "Sorry again. My name is Iris. As you can see, I'm kind of wild. I really hate this school. I prefer to be outdoors, so I'm always tree-climbing at lunch time. The view is always amazing up there." She faced me and smiled. "Do you climb trees?"

"If there's as good a view as you say, then I'd like to climb up and see," I answered.

Her eyes seemed to twinkle. "Follow me. I'll show you the way up."

I climbed after her as she easily scaled the tree. I held on to the branches, listening to her as she told me which ones were sturdy and which ones I should avoid. Finally, we both sat together on a sturdy limb, both admiring the view.

From here, not only could you see the whole school yard, complete with gorgeous green grass and pretty flowers, but you could even see the small, spread apart houses of Pallet Town. She was right. Great view.

"Wow, this is great," I said. Pikachu just stared in awe along with Axew.

"Yeah. I'm glad I found this place," Iris laughed. "Although...the teachers don't exactly approve of students climbing trees, so we should get down soon."

"Right."

We both climbed back down, and as soon as Iris touched the ground, she took off in a run.

"I'm gonna burn off some energy!" she called out to me. "See you in Battle class and anything else we have together!"

That's right. I recognized her face now. Barry took her on in Battle class. It was funny watching him lose to a girl. You'd think that his Empoleon would be able to hold its ground against a cute, innocent Axew.

Since the bell was bound to ring soon, I started walking inside. I sighed a bit. Next was English. English and I didn't get along to well. I spoke the language, didn't I? So why'd I have to learn all the proper rules of grammar and spelling and crud? It didn't help me become a Pokémon master either. I new how to write and spell my name for autographs and such. Wasn't that all I needed?

~What The Heart Wants: Ash's Harem~

English was a total snooze fest. We didn't do any actual work, it was just an introduction from Ms. Shauntal, but I couldn't care less for what she had to say. The familiar faces in this class were Brock, Dawn, Iris, Drew, and Paul. I sat in between Dawn and Drew, and Iris sat in front of me. But even talking to them made the class no better.

~What The Heart Wants: Ash's Harem~

Fifth period. The last class of the day for most people. As I've said before, I still have cooking class after this. It was gym. They say a trainer must be as strong as their Pokémon, which is why gym was a necessary course.

On my way there, walking through the hallway, I saw a girl trying to make her way through the crowd. She looked slightly familiar. I think I'd seen her in Pokémon history. Someone shoved her out of their way when she bumped into her, and she fell forward. I witnessed the whole thing, as she fell to her knees, one of her knees falling onto a sharpened pencil on the floor. The lead entered her flesh and a bit of blood dripped from her knee.

I quickly rushed over to her. "Are you okay?"

"Ouch," she whined. "That pencil cut open my knee."

Her Fennekin barked worriedly. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my handkerchief. I tied it securely around her leg and smiled at her. "There. That should do it. But maybe you should visit the school nurse Joy so she can handle it properly..."

Her face went all red. "Thank you. Um...what's your name?"

"I'm Ash," I answered. "Who are you?"

"S-Serena," she said, a faint smile appearing on her face. "Um...thank you again for helping me."

"No problem, " I responded. "Need some help getting to the nurse's office?"

"I'll be fine," she answered. "But could you help me up?"

"Sure thing," I answered, taking her hand and pulling her up. Guess I pulled a little too hard because I'd accidentally pulled her into my arms. She seemed even redder now.

"Sorry about that!" I said, letting go of her.

"It's fine," she assured me. "Hope to see you around again soon."

"Yeah," I said with a nod. "See you later!"

With that, I dashed off to gym.

~What The Heart Wants: Ash's Harem~

All the girls I'd met over the course of the day were in gym class with me. Along with all my guy friends and Leaf. Even Serena was here after having been patched up by Nurse Joy. That's when I realized that so far, everything that Leaf had predicted had come true. It was a pretty creepy feeling. So if this much was true, that meant that all these girls were going to fall in love with me! How the hell was this going to work?!

Distracted by my thoughts throughout the whole gym period, it soon ended and my favorite class was finally here. Food, here I come!

~What The Heart Wants: Ash's Harem~

Only two familiar faces in my entire cooking class. Brock, who began flirting with the _many_ girls in this class. And Serena, the latest girl I'd encountered today. Our teacher, Mr. Cilan, told us to pair up and somehow, I was with Serena now.

We kind of cooked in silence, not really saying much to each other. It wasn't awkward though. It was fun to cook with her and she was _really_ good at it. She knew what to do before Mr. Cilan even said it and she added in her own ingredients (which he told us not to do). But she didn't even get in trouble for it since Mr. Cilan loved the flavor so much. We had made the best spaghetti out of anyone, and now Serena was putting them in plastic bowls for each of us to take home.

"You're pretty good at cooking," I said as she handed me my bowl.

"I like it. It's fun," she responded. "I also enjoy acting."

"I'm better at eating food than cooking it as I'm sure you could see."

She laughed and sweat-dropped. "I'm sure you'll get better with practice. Well, I've got to get home. Mom always makes me practice Ryhorn racing after school. Ugh. I hate it."

"Sorry," I chuckled. "See ya!"

"Bye!"

And so ended my first day as a sophomore. Tomorrow was going to be a big day. Because I'd soon find out that Leaf was no liar. Her fortunes are 100% accurate.

* * *

**Sorry if the chapter seemed rushed at all, but I wanted Ash to just hurry and meet all the girls. And besides, I wrote A LOT of words. I'll try to slow down and speed up things to a good pace though. Remember to vote for which girl Ash gets with in the end. Poll is on my profile. I appreciate any reviews. Thanks for reading.**

**-IchigoHatake**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: A Bit Un-FORTUNE-ate

I miraculously managed to wake up early (it was because of a nightmare where those five girls all turned into demons and ate me) so I organized my classes, writing out which friends were in each of my classes.

_First period: Coordinating_

_Friends: May, Drew, Dawn_

_Second period: Battle_

_Friends: Gary, Barry, Paul, Brock, Misty, Iris_

_Third period: Pokemon History_

_Friends: Serena_

_Fourth Period: English_

_Friends: Brock, Dawn, Iris, Drew, Paul_

_Fifth Period: Gym_

_Friends: Serena, Dawn, Misty, May, Iris_

_Sixth Period: Cooking_

_Friends: Brock, Serena_

Okay, so Serena, Iris, and Dawn each had three classes with me, which was the highest amount of classes with me. However, Serena was the only friend who was a girl who was in two different classes with me where the other girls weren't. All of the girls were with me in gym, so if they really fell in love with me, that would be where they would most likely end up cat fighting with each other. ARCEUS! I DON'T WANT THIS HAREM! WHAT HAPPENED TO FOREVER ALONE LIFE?!

Regardless of how many classes I had with them, they each had opportunities to get close to me. And it isn't like they can't reach me outside of school. If I'd really end up with a girlfriend by the end of this, I guess it wouldn't be that bad. I just hope I end up making the right pick. Dammit, Leaf! Why can't you just tell me who I end up with so I don't have to over think this?! Why am I even thinking about this?!

I sighed. Okay. If all these girls are in love with me, I'll end up breaking some hearts. This is going to suck. I don't want to be some heartless bastard and stomp on the four girls I don't pick.

Somehow, even though I didn't want to think about this anymore, I ended up writing pro and con lists for the girls based on what I've seen and heard about them from my friends.

_Misty_

_Pros:_

_Able to take charge_

_Seems brave_

_Is a tomboy, so I won't have to worry about any girly stuff_

_Cons:_

_That temper_

_I've heard she's beaten people up before_

_A girl has to be a little girly_

_May_

_Pros:_

_Gives me food and is a food lover herself, so we're alike_

_Seems to be a good mixture between a tomboy and girly girl_

_Our over all personalities just seem similar_

_Cons:_

_People say she likes to shop a lot_

_People say she can be over-dramatic and sometimes a crybaby_

_Apparently is a clumsy airhead?_

_Dawn_

_Pros:_

_She has a good sense of fashion and looks pretty (Wow, I feel shallow)_

_Good energy and spirit and drive (like me)_

_Seems naturally cheerful and teasing_

_Cons:_

_Said to sometimes have a temper, but only if you really get her angry_

_Can get pretty girly_

_Apparently known to get easily jealous_

_Iris_

_Pros:_

_Knows how to have fun_

_Brave_

_Good determination_

_Cons:_

_People say she can be annoying_

_Not very mature_

_She's known to criticize_

_Serena _

_Pros:_

_An AMAZING cook_

_Also cheerful and nice and just pleasant to be near_

_Like Dawn, very pretty (I yet again feel so shallow)_

_Cons:_

_Also said to be really girly_

_It's been said that she can be clingy_

_Sometimes known to complain about things she dislikes_

I stared at the list and sighed. What was the point of this? All the girls were special in their own ways, both good and bad. It wouldn't be easy to find a balanced, perfect girl. I tore up the notes I took and threw them away. If I were to fall in love with them, it shouldn't be based on a stupid list. I just need to follow my heart like I always do.

All of Leaf's words had just jumbled up my head. I just needed to chill out and have fun like always. Let life be the roller coaster it is and stay along for the ride. It didn't matter what girl I was with in the end. For now, I just really wanted to get to know them all and form good friendships.

I woke up Pikachu and got us both some breakfast. Once we were fully satisfied, I had Pikachu crawl onto my shoulder and I started walking to school, hoping to arrive early and crash into Leaf. I had a lot of questions for her.

~What The Heart Wants: Ash's Harem~

I found Leaf in the hallway, but she was currently dealing with a certain angry ginger by the name of Misty. And boy did she look pissed.

"Your fortunes always screw me over!" Misty shrieked at Leaf. "Are you doing all these awful things to me on purpose?!"

Leaf looked perfectly calm as she dealt with her. "I cannot control the future. I can simply see the events that would occur. Besides, everything happens for a reason, Misty. These bad things could lead up to something good in the end."

"And what's so good about getting in huge fights with my sister, people _egging_ my gym, and getting a paint bucket poured _all over me?!"_

"Could be karma," Leaf said plainly. "You have to admit, you have been being a bit mean to people this summer. Maybe this is a sign to change your ways."

Misty sighed and tried to calm herself down. "Well, one good thing has happened. Your fortune was right. I _did_ meet the man of my dreams. But why can't you tell me if it works out or not?! Puh-lease, Leaf?"

"No can do," she answered without any hesitation. "That's for me to know and you to find out. You're just going to have to do your best to win his affections."

"You're mean~!" Misty whined. She then turned to walk away and noticed me. She smiled and waved before walking off. I think I caught her winking at me as well. I blushed a bit and looked back over at my target.

I awkwardly approached Leaf and she smiled in that creepy, all-knowing way. "If you want to ask which girl you end up with, I already told you I won't say."

"Dammit."

"I have a feeling you have other questions though. Am I right?"

I sighed. "You said they'd all fall in love with me today and compete for my love. How bad will the competition get?"

Leaf started laughing hysterically. "There'll be some good and bad moments for you. And some of those girls will get more jealous than others. It's bound to be an emotional roller coaster, but that's the price of being loved by so many girls."

"I never asked for this," I pouted.

"Everything happens for a reason, Ash," she responded. "This experience might help you learn more about yourself and how to become a better person. And isn't there a great reward in the end?"

"I guess so," I breathed. Pikachu stared sympathetically at me. "It would be nice to finally get a girlfriend."

"See? So run along and start mingling with them. To make the proper choice, you have to get to know these girls."

"You seem a bit too smart for a teenage girl," I commented. "Not that I'm saying that most girls aren't smart or anything! It's just...you give off this vibe that makes it seem like you know way more than you're letting on. And you know so much information about romance and all..."

She smirked and started walking away. "Bye, Ash. I'll tell Gary you said hi..."

"Uh...sure...?"

~What The Heart Wants: Ash's Harem~

I had plenty of time before class started, so I shared a snack with May. This time, I was the one to provide snacks as a gesture to thank her for the chips she'd given me yesterday. She devoured those chocolate pretzels like her life depended on it. Not that I was any better.

We both reached in the bag for the last one, and our hands touched. May was obviously blushing, but she glared at me. "I-I touched it first!"

"We reached for it at the same time!" I argued. "And besides, they're _my_ pretzels."

"But you were giving them to me as a thanks," she protested.

"Alright," I gave in. "One pretzel isn't that big a deal."

She gave me a big smile and I found myself blushing slightly. She looked cute when she smiled. She stuffed the pretzel into her mouth victoriously and ate it.

"Thank you~!" she mewed. "Tomorrow, I'll bring the snacks."

I laughed. "What? Are we going back and forth on this?"

"Yup~! This way, we'll both have a day snack~!" she said, smiling again.

Just then, Dawn walked over to the table, waving first at May, and then me. She leaned against the table on May's side and looked over at me.

"Hello!" she greeted. "How are you?"

"Great," I responded. "Any day where I can eat is a good day."

"So the way to your heart is through your stomach?"

The question caught me off guard. "Uh...I guess you could put it that way."

"Too bad I'm only good at making poffins," Dawn said, sweat-dropping. "My Pokémon love them, but it isn't exactly the perfect human treat."

"Oh! Oh!" May shouted excitedly. "I think I'm going to join a cooking class after school. Would you want to join, Dawn?"

Dawn shook her head. "I don't have the time to go to a 6th class. I'd rather leave at the normal time. I've got my job at the maid café to think about, ya know."

"You work at the maid café?" I asked curiously, blushing at the thought of her in a maid's outfit.

"Yup!" Dawn chirped happily. "It's always really fun to dress up. You should drop by some time. They just built in here in Pallet, a block or two away from the school. No way you could miss it. If you come to visit me, I'll even give you a special discount for becoming my friend."

Something in her voice already told me she wanted to be more than my friend. Leaf was definitely right. Oh Arceus. "Thanks, Dawn. I promise I'll drop by some time then."

"Can't wait."

~What The Heart Wants: Ash's Harem~

It was now time for Battle class. Lance, just like yesterday, had us begin by battling with someone in class. I was paired against Iris this time around. She glared at me, looking very determined. I shot the same expression back at her. Pikachu and Axew stared at each other, waiting for the battle to begin.

"I won't lose to you!" she called at me with a smirk. I was impressed by her determination. It was always good to have a strong will.

"Oh really?" I shot back. "Because I think that _I'm_ going to be the one who wins this!"

And so, the battle began. I quickly ordered Pikachu to use quick attack, which easily hit Axew. Iris then retaliated with a dragon rage, which I had tried to have Pikachu send back with his iron tail. Sadly, that plan failed miserably and Pikachu took some decent damage. I then ordered Pikachu to use electro ball, which Axew dodged, but then I had Pikachu charge at him with an iron tail.

Axew fell to the ground, but quickly stood back up. Iris ordered a scratch attack, which Pikachu took for a while, before sending Axew flying back with a strong thunder bolt attack. With a final shot of electro ball, Axew was out, and Iris was pretty disappointed.

"Darn it," I heard her whisper. "I wanted to show him our strength...Thank you, Axew. We'll just have to train harder."

After thanking Pikachu for doing so well, I walked over to Iris and extended my hand. "Great battle. You were pretty good."

Her spirits were immediately raised and she smiled at me and took my hand, shaking it. "I guess you weren't bad either. For a little kid, that is. Seems like you have a _lot_ more to learn about battling."

I laughed and rolled my eyes inwardly. "Only a little kid would call someone else a little kid."

"Only a little kid would start an argument," she shot back.

I just laughed again and shook my head. "Hopefully we'll get to battle again soon."

Iris nodded. "I'd like that. And next time, I won't lose!"

"We'll just see about that."

~What The Heart Wants: Ash's Harem~

"Ugh," I groaned as I sat down in my history class. I looked around in boredom and caught sight of Serena. She stared back at me and smiled.

Then, she started walking over and she sat down in the seat next to me since the guy who sits with me wasn't here yet. "Hiya!"

"Hey," I greeted half-heartedly.

"By the look on your face, it seems like you don't enjoy this class all that much."

I snorted. "I don't understand why we have to learn about a bunch of dead stuff."

Serena shivered. "It's all kind of creepy to me. Ms. Erika just says we need to learn about the past so we don't make the same mistakes, but I don't think I'll ever find myself starting a great Pokemon War or anything like that..."

I nodded. "Plus, the way she teaches it all is just boring. I like Ms. Erika and all, but...this class...ugh..."

"I know what you mean. But I think I dislike gym even more. I don't really like running and I'm not very fast either. I'm not all that athletic, period. I always hate our warm up session, running laps for ten minutes. Because I'm so slow, no one runs with me and it makes me feel so lonely. I wish I could join that brunette and bluenette who are usually running slow, but they seem like such close friends and I'm a little worried we won't get along."

"Do you mean May and Dawn?" I asked. She nodded. "You have no need to worry. They're really nice. Especially May. I'm sure they'd love having you to talk to. You're personalities would probably match pretty well, so you should go talk to them. And maybe I could join the group too. I'll run when there's someplace I want to go, but otherwise, I can be pretty lazy."

Serena giggled. It was kind of adorable. "Thank you, Ash. I feel a bit less alone now. Well, class is almost starting, so I should get to my seat, but it was really nice talking to you. See you in cooking class!"

And with that, she skipped off to her seat. I sighed, automatically bored again now that there was no one to talk to. This would be a long class period.

~What The Heart Wants: Ash's Harem~

Lunch. My favorite time of the day. Another huge plate of food for myself and a big bowl of Pokémon food for Pikachu. Another huge wad of money to pay for said food. And then...all of the sudden...five girls all try and drag you to their tables and you desperately try to get away from them, before finally suggesting all six of you sit together at one table, to which they reluctantly agree.

All five girls smiled at me. The girls were getting along so far, and all seemed like it would go well. That is, until Misty spoke up.

"So...all of you are Ash's friends?"

Each of them nodded and agreed and Misty nodded back. "Well...how did you meet him?"

"I was introduced to him second period," May answered. "We sit next to each other."

Dawn nodded. "I also met him second period when May introduced us."

"I met him during lunch," Iris piped up.

"And I met him in the hall before fifth period," Serena said.

"Oh," Misty chuckled. "So that means that _I saw him first_. We crashed into each other before school."

"So?" Dawn spat at her.

"So," Misty responded. "I was his friend first, so he should be sitting at _my_ table."

"Here we go," I sighed.

"Pika..."

Arguments broke out between the girls and I carefully slipped away, rushing out into the school yard in search of Leaf. She smiled as I desperately ran to her.

"Those girls are crazy!" I hissed. "They're at each other's throats! I wouldn't be surprised if I found some of them dead when I get back there! And I had to leave my precious food behind!"

"I'm sorry?" Leaf replied. "I...can't really help you with that little situation. But I can answer any questions about your future you might have."

I sat down in the grass in front of her. "What do I have to do to calm them all down so that they can be friends?"

Leaf held out her hands and I placed mine in them. She closed her eyes and went through with her seeing-into-the-future process. She opened her eyes and snickered. "You aren't going to be able to attract their attention unless you do something stupid..."

"Like what?" I asked nervously.

"You could twerk," she suggested.

"You're kidding me," I snarled.

"Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle."

* * *

**Yes. I had to end this off in a stupid way. I hope it at least made you laugh. Sorry if you feel like nothing really happened this chapter, but it's still kind of the intro where Ash is just starting to get to know the girls. I hope I wrote some good romance for each girl. If you haven't voted on the poll yet, please do. If you want your favorite couple to win, you have to vote. And if you've already voted, have your friends vote! I was really happy to see all the views, votes, and reviews so far and thank you guys so much. I hope I can create a great harem for you all! Until next chapter~!**

**-IchigoHatake**


End file.
